Chapter 35
Chapter
Thirty-Five
Sage
The shouting gets louder the closer I get to the downstairs hall.
I peek my head over the bannisters to see the commotion.
Dad and Uncle Anton are shouting back and forth, about which I can only assume is the presence of more Rushkoffs in our space again.
Freddie and Isla stand by the door with what looks like one of Alexei's men with them.
Isla is fussing over something on Alexei's side as he brushes her away with an annoyed and tense look.
I descend the stairs slowly, hand on the bannister, ignoring the shouting between Dad and Anton because it's just commonplace now, instead heading straight for Freddie.
"What happened?" I ask.
Freddie looks over his shoulder at Dad and Anton. "With them?" he starts. "The typical. Dim's pissed that we've run off with help from the Rushkoffs."
I don't really hear the rest of what he has to say though because Alexei's shirt is torn and he's dripping blood onto the floor.
"What's wrong with you?" I ask.
"Small gunshot wound," Isla replies, shrugging as she answers for him. "He got a tiny bit shot."
I raise my eyebrows at that, because I wasn't aware there was a way to get shot only a little bit, but okay.
"You need to let me clean it though, Alexei," Isla says, sighing in annoyance as she tries to reach at him again and he all but swats her away. His scowl is deep, ignoring his wound and Isla's fussing as he watches Dad and Anton argue.
I wonder if he won't let her patch it up because he's worried about showing weakness in front of Dad. Rather, he probably doesn't care that he's been shot and is instead offended at the tone of their conversation.
"There's patch up supplies in the kitchen," Freddie says, directing Isla and Alexei away. At the very least they listen, and make their way towards the kitchen. Walking right past Dad and Anton as they do. Alexei's lip curls as he passes my dad.
I cringe, rubbing at my forehead.
We're losing the benefit of the doubt from both of them. Nobody has to like each other but we do need to work together. Giving daggers in the hall isn't going to help though. Isla thinks so too because she elbows Alexei to get him to cut it out.
Dad stops his conversation, his eyes narrowing on Alexei and Isla as they help themselves through our house all alone. For now, the shouting stops while Dad rubs his forehead between his fingers.
"Are you joking me?" Dad says, gesturing in the direction that Isla and Alexei left.
"Dimitri it's-"
"My patience is wearing thin, Anton," Dad says, and I can see it's not good for him to be this worked up in his condition. He's still recovering after all.
"We got what we needed, the alliance is-" Freddie has a try now.
"I don't want to hear one more-!"
"Oh for God's sake, Dad!" I say, the annoyance pouring out of me. "This is getting so old! We know exactly where you stand can you just drop it for five seconds."
The room is stunned into silence, but it takes me a moment to register what I've just done. Freddie and Anton both look at me with cringed glances and Dad is staring at me with pure shock and what looks mostly like rage.
"Shit," I whisper, realizing what I've just done. I've never spoken back or raised my voice to Dad before. I've been a brat, sure, but I've never openly defied him like this.
Dad takes a step forward, presumably to murder me, when he suddenly stops and fixates on what I'm wearing around my neck.
I remember the necklace from Chet that I found, the one I put around my neck hoping it would help me to understand it better. Or at least pique the interest of someone who might know more about it than I do.
"Where did you get that?" Dad says, focusing on the necklace again.
I don't answer him but I do gulp. Knowing that I'm probably already in trouble and will likely be in more.
He walks slowly towards me and gently lifts the necklace from my neck, popping the clasp easily and looking inside. His face shudders, snapping it closed and letting it fall.
"You must've gotten that from Chet," Dad says, his voice a gentle whisper in a tone I have never in my life heard from him. "How did you get it from Chet?"
"We found it when we were looking for him," I quickly rush to explain. "You know what this means then?"
Dad shakes his head, his hands shaking as he starts to walk away.
"Dad?" I ask, keeping up to chase him. "Then you must know what this is, and who Isabelle is? Or what Chet promised he'd never forget?"
Dad can't look at me and with each attempt that I make to get closer to him he just swats me away with a face that looks pale and hands that look shakier than they did when he first woke up from his coma.
"Leave it alone, Sage. No good will come out of pulling at that thread," Dad says, his voice still feeble.
I sigh as he hobbles up the stairs on his cane, wanting to chase him down but not feeling like I can disobey him again without the yelling starting up. Whatever this is, it's made Dad forget all about the Rushkoffs that are hanging around our kitchen and the rest of our estate.
"You never told me you found her necklace," Anton whispers.
"I didn't know what it was," Freddie whispers back defensively.
I spin back around to face them with narrowed eyes. "What are you two whispering about?"
Freddie cringes.
"I have to go check on Dimitri," Anton says, jaw tightening as he follows Dad up the stairs.
"You know something," I accuse.
"Please, bella," Freddie begs. "Don't do this to me."
My frustration at all the lies overwhelms me and I can't help but speak out. "Freddie, can't you just underst-"
"You know better than anyone why death promises are made, bella. Trust your father and leave this alone."
I want to ask more but Freddie is saved by the invading Rushkoffs as Isla and Alexei come pouring back out of the kitchen.
"You have to let me patch that up," Isla says.
"You're not touching me," Alexei says, stomping through the hall. They come to a standstill when they see us, looking around tensely before they notice Dad isn't here anymore.
"I've had enough," Isla says, shoving the medical supplies against my chest and forcing me to catch them. "See if you can get him to listen."